This invention relates to an animal tattooing paste and more particularly to tattooing paste which is used on hog carcasses.
In normal meat packing operations, hog carcasses are "tattooed" with an identification number immediately after slaughter so that the source of the carcass can be determined should the carcass subsequently be found to be diseased. If the animal is found to be diseased, the U.S.D.A. must ascertain the source of the animal so that further investigation may be conducted.
It is not a matter of simply tattooing an identification number on the carcass since the carcass undergoes extensive processing and ordinary ink is quickly eradicated. The carcasses are normally subjected to scalding water and brush action or flail action to remove the hair from the skin of the carcass. The scalding water quickly dissolves the ink with the brushes and flails completing the eradication of the number.
A further consideration is that the tattooing ink or paste must not contain any ingredient which is carcinogenic, or which may be suspected of being carcinogenic.
Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide an animal tattooing paste which will not be removed from the carcass during the packing process.
A further object of the invention is to provide an animal tattooing paste which does not contain any carciogenic ingredients.
A further object of the invention is to provide an animal tattooing paste which permits the packaging of the same for subsequent distribution and use.
A further object of the invention is to provide an animal tattooing paste which is a food grade product.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.